When tita Trina left I was left alone and wondering. After a few minutes I started to get ready. There was a dress she bought me. It was color peach and white with it's quilted flower design. It have no sleeves and a small pink belt hugging my small waist.
There was a pair of sandals too. Of course it was white. Tita love dressing me when I was young, well, until now I supposed. Wala pa noon si Alessia kaya ako ang pinagkakaabalahan niyang damitan at ayusan.
My mother? She was just letting tita Trina. She was a busy business woman. She have no time for dressing me— well sometimes. Only sometimes. We have maids and Manang Jo. Mama taught me to do it all by myself. She taught me to dress beautifully. She taught me to be independent.
She was my teacher.
Nang matapos akong maligo ay agad akong nagbihis. Of course I have new undies. I was dying in embarrassment thinking about it while combing my already dry hair when the door opened. I tried to act naturally when Liel walked in.
"Good morning." It came from me. He replied with a quiet 'good morning'. He was no where on sight when I finished combing. I had no make-up with me, so I'm wearing none except for a liptint. Overall, I feel fresh and light.
"Did you sleep well?" I jumped and clutched my chest when his voice rung beside me. Napapikit ako sandali dahil sa pagkagulat at inis. I was about to get my purse on the bed.
"You startled me!" I hissed and faced him. And I just wished I didn't. His face was few inches away from mine making it hard for me to breathe. "Liel..."
"You look more beautiful without a single powder, Ail." Tila napako ako sa aking kinatatayuan nang dalhin niya ang kaniyang kamay sa aking pisngi at ito'y haplosin.
"Liel..." I was breathing hard. Ang bilis ng tibok ng aking puso. Alam kong namumula ako sa oras na 'to ngunit wala akong lakas na tumalikod o iwasan ang tingin niya.
"Ailia..." He cupped my cheeks—and goodness I started to close my eyes. He was leaning down to capture my lips and I was waiting, when suddenly the door got opened.
"Oh, shit!" I pushed him away when I heard Alessia's voice. "God, I'm sorry guys!" When she closed the door and retreated I turned my back at him. Nanlalamig at nanginginig kong kinuha ang purse ko sa may kama.
"I'll go." I said calmly, happy in the inside for not stuttering or stammering. I was rejoicing when I stopped on my way to the door when I heard his voice.
"Mom prepared breakfast, you should stay." It should be a question but it was a statement. I frowned, not liking his tone. For a moment— I remembered mama. I stayed quiet and walked out saying nothing.
Nang makarating ako sa dining area ay nandoon na ang tatlo at nagbubulungan. Nang makita ako ay napaupo sila ng maayos. Rinig ko ang bungisngis ni Alessia at ang pigil tawa ni tita Trina. Tita Alfredo was smiling ear to ear too.
"Ailia..." Tila may bahid ng panunukso ang tinig ni tita nang paupuin niya 'ko at tanungin kung nakita ko raw si Liel. Sasagot na sana ako nang eksaktong pumasok si Liel at umupo sa tabi ko.
Sa tingin nila ay alam kong may alam sila sa nangyari kanina. Pulang-pula ako ngunit nag-aktong natural pa rin.
"Kuya, anong nangyari? Mom, himala ata at kakain siya ng umagahan ngayon kasabay natin." Kinagat ko ang aking dila upang pigilan ang aking sarili na magsalita.
"Hayaan mo na, nandito pa kasi si Ailia." Inosenteng ani'ya. He said nothing ngunit kung umiinon ako kanina ay nasamid na 'ko. "Mabuti siguro kung dito ka na lang tumira—"
"Mom."
"Honey."
"What?" Ngumiwi si tita at pinangunutan ng noo si Briar na tahimik lang at kumakain. Habang ako naman ay parang kamatis na. "What do you think, son? Besides you two are getting married soon."
Doon ay nabilaukan na ako. Dali-dali akong uminom ng tubig na binigay niya habang nakahawak sa braso ko ang kaliwa niyang kamay. Alessia was patting my back.
"Hindi pa nga natin ito napag-uusapan nang masinsinan." Sabat ni tito.
"Dad is right, mom—"
"I don't mind." At gusto ko nang magpalamon sa lupa. Parang maiuuntog ko na ang noo ko sa lamesa. Really? Tama si tito, hindi pa nga namin ito napag-uusapan nang masinsinan.
"Oh, that's great! Maybe you two can make me a grandchild even before you get married."
"Trina."
"Alfredo."
"How about Ailia?" At dahil doon ay nabaling sa akin ang lahat ng tingin. Napaupo ako ng tuwid at napalunok.
"Me?"
"Yes, hija." I frowned and thought for a moment.
"I..."
"We can talk about this later after breakfast, mom. Don't you think, Ail?" Agad akong tumango sa sinabi ni Briar. "Yes. Right." Ngumiti ako ng alanganin.
"Well.. okay."
Alessia started a new conversation. The next minutes go well and I can finally breathe. The conversation was fun and light as feather. Liel and I talked like mere acquaintance. Some about business, politics and even foundations we have for children, homeless people and elders who was abandoned. I was glad. So glad.
However, after the breakfast we went to the garden. Yes, to the garden. Sa tingin ko kasi ay makakatulong ang mga halaman at bulaklak upang mabawasan ang tensyong nararamdaman ko. Idagdag pa ang preskong hangin.
There was a round white steel table that can be occupied by six people. Humingi ng tsaa at kape si tita Trina kay Manang Rowela, katulad ni Manang Jo ay matagal na rin ito sa kanila at ang punong tagapangalaga at tagamahala ng mansyon.
Dumating ang tsaa at kape dala ng mga katulong ng mansyon habang nakatayo sa malapit si Manang Rowela. Ngumiti siya sa akin at ngumiti ako pabalik sa kaniya. Si Manang Rowela ay kapatid na nakakatanda ng aking Nanang Jo.
"Thank you." I murmured towards the young helper. Ngumiti siya at tumango. Matapos ay umalis sila at nakakaisang simsim pa lang ako nang magsalita si tita.
"Your mother and I have agreed to arrange you and Briar for marriage long ago. You were five years old back then while Briar was eight." She tell. I was listening full ears to her. Hindi na 'ko dapat pang magulat.
"The last time we talked about it was when she told me about her being sick with cancer." Humigpit ang kapit ko sa may hawakan ng tasa. I unconsciously drank the tea.
"That was a year ago. That time, hindi pa siya malala but your mother knew she will be. We talked for a whole day and it never came again... Binilin ka rin niya sa akin." Umiwas ako ng tingin nang mangilid ang kaniya luha. But I caught his eyes in me. Studying me. Umiwas ulit ako.
"She left you to Briar." The words rung on my ears, again and again.
"Do you know?" I asked him, not looking at his cold eyes.
"Yes." Napapikit ako sandali saka suminsim ulit ng tsaa. "I was on London that time when she called me. We met, despite her worse state. She told me to take care of you." His voice sounds so serious.
While she told me on her deathbed, before she left me. Great.
I wanted to say but I held the words back. "Your mother wants us to get married. I have no plans on finding a girl nor a life-time partner so I agreed." I scoffed.
"Briar!"
"I'm saying the truth."
"You're being rude!"
"No." They all looked at me. "It's okay. It's my reason, too, by the way." I added.
"Really?" It came sarcastic from him. Napangiti ako. Hindi siya tinitignan ay um-oo ako. For I don't know the reason, he kept his mouth shut. Nakuha ng tikhim ni tito ang atensyon ko.
"The wedding will be on the eighth day of September. Anyone who disagree?" I frowned but didn't say anything. Isn't it too early? I wanted to sigh. "Good." After no one said yes.
"It's three weeks and four days from now if I am right, it's better if you two live on the same roof from now on." I stared at my almost empty tea cup. Live with him? Did I hear it right?
"It would be nice." Nice? Dahan-dahan akong nag-angat ng tingin kay Briar nang sabihin niya iyon. I want to curse him for agreeing.
"Ikaw, Ailia?"
"I'm sure she'll agree, right, Ail?" He intertwined our fingers together. No one can see it. Nakapatong pa iyon sa aking tuhod. He played with my fingers. I feel like being hypnotized. I tried to get my hands off his but I tragically failed. Iniwasan ko ang kaniyang tingin.
"Yes." Pakiramdam ko ay ibinebenta ko ang kinabukasan ko. But my mother's words echoed around my head. You'll do it for me right? You're my good daughter.
Hindi ko napansing kumuyom ang kamay kong hawak ni Liel. He started to massage it with his thumb and I calmed down. The hate I have for his effect in me now lessened.
"Great. Now, shall we plan the wedding?" Wala akong nagawa kundi ang tumango. We had our second batch of tea and coffee while we were busy planning.
"Don't you have work?" I asked him while the other are busy with something. He sipped his coffee and then shook his head.
"I took a day off." Napatango ako. I played with the grass while patiently waiting for the event organizer tita Trina called few minutes ago. "You?" I looked up to him.
"I took a day off, too." We were talking quietly. I don't know but I feel conscious around him. I was playing with the grass when he pulled our hands to his thigh and begun to play our fingers.
For my nth attempt to pull my hands, I failed miserably.
"Let it go!" I whispered. Ngunit tila wala lang siyang narinig at pinaglaruan pa rin ang aming mga daliri. Wala rin akong nagawa at hinayaan siya dahil baka mapansin kami ng tatlo na busy sa kung ano man.
"Ailia Sole Salvador." He smirked at me. Hindi ko siya pinansin at nilabas ang cellphone ko. I was texting my secretary when he tugged my hands. I wanted to roll my eyes at him but didn't.
"Ano?"
"You sure you don't have plans finding someone else?" And for the nth time I frowned.
"I'm a busy business woman, Liel, I don't play around." I answered honestly. He arched his brow at me but I shrugged. Masuri niya akong tinitigan hanggang sa mailang ako. Halos manlaki naman ang mga mata ko nang ilapit niya ang mukha niya sa akin.
"Liel," The devil's smirk grew bigger when his eyes darted on my cheeks. I tried to compose myself and I succeed, nga lang ay hindi ako makatingin sa kaniya ng diretso. "Ang landi mo."
His face was back to cold the second he heard it, but then a laughter escaped his mouth as he looked at me ridiculously. Gusto ko siyang tanungin kung bakit ngunit nang aking mapagtantong nakuha namin ang atensyon ng iba ay agad akong namula.
"You are the first person who called me flirt, do you know that, Ail?" Dumapo ang tingin ko sa mga mata niyang tila nagniningning sa sinag ng liwag. "Well.. I was never been a flirt before, before you." Another layer of red added on my cheeks.
"Oh, is this the soon-to-be husband and wife?! What a lovely couple!" Isang boses ng babae ang narinig namin upang mag-angat kami ng tingin sa bagong dating na bisita.
"Amiga!" Agad tumayo sila tita at tito at sinalubong ito. Tita hugged the woman. Nagbeso pa sila habang nakipagkamay si tito dito habang si Alessia naman ay nagbeso rin.
Nang tumayo ako ay tumayo rin si Briar. We were holding each other's hands and it was too late for me to remember it. The four of them grinned ear to ear while I flashed a smile while a dark shade of red plastered on my cheeks.
"Oh, my, my, my! Briar Loki Sandoval, good to see you, hijo!" She smiled and then looked at me. Nanlaki ang mga mata niya. "Oh! And Ailia Sole Santos! I've heard a lot from you too! And by the way, I'm sorry about your mother, hija."
My heart was pinched but I managed to give her a grateful smile. "Thank you. May we start?" Agad naman siyang tumango.
We started at talking about the engagement party. I wanted the wedding to be simple, ang tanging dadalo ay iyong mga malalapit sa amin at ilang ka-negosyo kaya simple lang din ang engagement party. No one complained or disagreed.
"So when is the wedding?"
"On September eight." Tita answered. Sa isang sandali ay nangamba ako kung kakayanin niya. Ngunit nang ngumiti ito at nagtanong ulit ay alam kong kaya niya at magagawa niya ang kaniyang trabaho sa binigay naming panahon.
"And the theme?" Nagkatinginan kami ni Liel. Nakataas ang kilay niya sa akin bahagya.
"What do you think?" I asked.
"You?" Pagbalik niya.
"Blue and..."
"Silver."
"Silver." Napangiti ako at bumaling kay Aunt Kathy. "Blue and silver."
Ilang oras din ang tumagal nang matapos kami.
"Lovely! Now we're done! And additional ideas or suggestions?" She asked. Tumingin ulit ako kay Briar ngunit mukhang wala na rin kaya umiling na rin ako.
"It's now settled! We will just going to have a cake tasting on the weekend. On the Saturday, we will take your measurements and pick your gown." Tumayo na siya at nagpaalam. Tita tried to convince her to eat lunch with us but she politely declined it.
"Oh, I'm excited!" Humarap sa amin ang mag-nanay.
"I can't wait, mom!"
"Of course you can!" And they started bickering. Tito was inside the mansion doing already doing some business. Sa pagpasok sa mansyon ay nahuli kami ni Liel dahil sa hindi niya pagpakawala sa kamay ko.
We started our own bickering.
"My hands are getting sweaty!" I tried.
"It's okay." He just shrugged.
"Nangangalay na 'ko, Liel!" I tried again.
"It's okay." Ngunit ang kanan ko naman ang hinawakan niya. Napakamot ako ng aking noo dahil sa kaniya. Kanina pa siya, ah.
"I'm not used to holding hands, Liel." Nasa daan ng tingin ko.
"That's why I'm helping you to, Ail." Being frustrated is an understatement.
"I'm not used to you being this sweet, Liel." I tried my best not to blush and yes, I did.
"Then get used to it, Ail." I massage the area between my brows. He is so persistent. And I'm wondering why. What happened to his coldness? Huh. Kung alam ko lang.
The lunch went smooth and great. After that everybody came back to their own businesses. I was left with Briar.
"Don't you have paper works?" Tinago ko ang pagkailang ko sa kaniya habang binabaybay namin ang daan papunta sa kwarto niya. Siguro ay dahil sa ilang linggo ring hindi ako nakatulog ng maayos kaya ngayon ay hinahanap ko ang kama.
"I don't do paper work when I'm on my day off."
"Oh, I wonder. You? You work day and night, Liel— I've heard." Napahinga ako nang maluwag nang agad ko iyong nasundan.
"I rarely took a day off and it's why I don't do work at that day. I only took it when something non-business important came." Nang marating ang pinto ng kwarto niya ay binuksan niya iyon at agad akong pumasok.
"Oh." He was telling me those without me asking why. I stared at him. Hesitantly, I opened the door widely. Tila bubuka at hindi ang bibig ko ngunit nang makapagdisisyon na ay nagsalita ako.
"Do you want to get in?"
I smiled, but his eyes just went dark.
Oh.